Hey, has any of you here made the step from pattern to linear sequencers?

The way my songs are structured, I can't really cut/paste stuff much, I think it would be counter-productive for pop-based songs (stuff like intro/verse/bridge/verse/bridge/chorus/intro/solo/verse/chorus, or other variations like that, where each verse and chorus is slightly different... etc)

Having decided to try out my Fusion's sequencer, if any of you has used linear sequencers in the past, I'm curious to know how you handled the experience... I think those old Yamaha QY sequencers that Puppy has used were linear, right? Oh well, I guess I'll find out next week when he's back...

I'm going to be using the Alesis sequencer (when I'm done mixing my album, which is 40% done now) because I can't buy another sequencer.

If I were to buy another sequencer, it would depend on how much money I had.

200 dollars or so - RM1x350 - Emu Command Station (Carbon was going to sell me his but I had to turn it down due to no cash)500 - Roland MC-909 and I'd add an SRX card to it, probably World Collection (especially for percussion - I want to do a lot of percussion based stuff) and then later I'd also add SRX-03 Studio for the awesome drums and cool synth waves that it has.

In September, my sister and brother in law come to visit, that's when I was planning on buying the Emu from Carbon. But instead I'll have to take them out to places and spend that money on entertaining... then in October our baby is due... so that'll be it for gear until mid-2011 :) and that'll be it for studio time too, I think but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm actually excited about trying out the linear sequencer in a song context (my first impression just messing with it was very very awkward). 32 midi tracks, plus 8 audio tracks! it's a monster!!!

If I were to get a Yamaha sequencer, the RM1X would be it. I don't need the RS7000 sampler (my Fusion more than makes up for that), and I don't see the appeal of the QY700 as the RM1x is more powerful.

The Fusion's a mature product, the sequencer works fine, bugs aren't a problem anymore. The only problem is that they never added all the features people wanted (pattern sequencing, external hard drives, etc).

I'm sure this will even affect my song writing some. I even think in patterns

I know I'm not spending any more money on music stuff this year but I keep reading on the MC-909 and now I haz a GAS

MS, have you given thought to those? They can be found for not much more than the Command Stations, and they seem like a lot of fun. I know there's stuff you didn't like about the 505 but this seems like a different beast for the most part, and all those knobs and sliders are just

Why must I have GAS

Oh well maybe once I get used to 40-TRACK LINEAR SEQUENCERS I won't GAS for anything else anymore

I always found it great for sketching ideas for a song, but for the most part I usually found the sum of the parts to sound a bit stiff.I never quantized and recorded in real time, but the stiffness could have just been me.

I used a Roland MC50mkII for years. At the time I thought it was pretty awesome. After I had the accident with the SY55 I gave up on working that way. In fact I gave up anything with MIDI for almost twenty years. I'm using all but one of midi cables in my current set up, and I hadn't used any of them since 1994.